| | Facilities within the Property |
 The good cooking of Puglia
It will be very difficult, even if you book a stay of fifteen days, to eat the same thing twice. Stone vaults and floors enhance the dining room. In the summer months dinner is served outside under the stars. The service is excellent without being too formal. The kitchen team works hard to introduce you to the best products to be found on this generous land. And if you are keen about a preview you must taste our products, or else give a try to one of Rosalba's recipes.
Besides the famous bread of Puglia produced from hard grain wheat, another significant product is the pasta, usually prepared manually and cut in many different shapes. And then a special mention must be made of our olive oil, perhaps the oldest and healthiest dressing; fruit of the olive tree, it was considered sacred by all the peoples of the Mediteranean. Here on our land and all around Ostuni you will find some fantastic species of olive trees, just as many qualities of olives are cultivated on our farm. But as you will discover yourself, the olive tree is to be found almost everywhere in Puglia, in the north towards Foggia, in the centre close to Bari, in the south at Brindisi and Salento. And each zone has very different characteristics. Lovers and conoisseurs of olive oil, together with their classical touristic itineraries have the possibility to follow the routes where pure virgin olive oil is produced.
Breakfast
Breakfast is one of the most important events of the day. Armando and Rosalba will give you their utmost attention. In the charming and welcoming breakast room there's place for everybody and you can choose from a variety of biscuits, cakes and sweets, all of them home made at the Masseria. Naturally, even the jams are home produced from the fruit organically cultivated in the orchard, on those very trees growing on the farm.
Take your time; Maria Antonietta will surprise you with her sweets. Breakfast is also a time for deciding what to do during the day. At Frantoio you have a wide choice: you can either choose to pass the morning in absolute relax in the garden or you can take a quiet stroll among the olive trees in our countryside, or maybe go on tour to Ostuni or to the other villages of the neighbourhood or even go to the beach. Armando draws up a calendar of events (and tries to keep it always updated) which you are free to consult or you might just want to follow your own instinct. |
 The riding school
The riding school is an integral part of the property and is located on slightly higher ground, only a few metres away from the Host farm itself. It is an absolutely quiet site, with a lovely view of the sea and surrounded by olive groves. The grounds surrounding our property are interesting and ideal for a ride, and with a good guide you can follow the paths through the fields to get to the beach.
Ostuni has a particular link with horses. For centuries, before the car became a widespread commodity, the inhabitants of Ostuni made their living as cartdrivers. Every 26th and 27th August a grand feast was held in honour of the patron Saint Oronzo, and the most important event of the feast is the famous "Cavalcade". It is a very picturesque pageant with all horses arrayed and mounted by knights in red costumes arabesquely decorated with white lace, as they ride through the city streets.
The garden of the Frantoio
«Jokingly we have called it the "Garden of the Transformation". In actual fact what we have here is a small pine-tree park where there's always some fresh air hovering in the air even in the full heat of summer in the South of Italy, at Ostuni in Puglia. You need only go through the gates that leads you from the courtyard of the old farmhouse into the garden, and you are immediately aware of the change of climate, as if refreshened by the high trees and by the wind that pleasantly blows towards the tiny hill where we are located: it comes from the East, this wind, from the Orient, and - it's pleasant to think not without some satisfaction - that it can orientate us"...»
These are the opening lines of "La Trasformazione" by Oscar Iarussi and David Gutman, Sottotraccia Publications, written here during the summer of a few years ago, in the garden of the Frantoio. |
 The underground oil mill
One of the most fascinating places of the farm is its big underground oil mill, which gives its name to the farm. Here, in this natural underground cave olive oil was produced.
Almost all the fortified farmhouses of Salento were built on or close to a big underground cave, which was subsequently adapted, according to the necessities of the farm. The grinding stones, the presses and the cisterns were placed in these caves. And in these same locations other rooms would be hewn from the rock as resting places for the workers and for the animals. This cave was still in use until the late 1950s.
The machinery that actioned the grinding stones with its series of belts and pulleys, goes back to the beginning of 1900s. The presses, on the other hand, were powered by steam. It is evident that all this machinery belongs to industrial archaeology, even if in their present good condition they all seem as if they were still functioning until yesterday. On the ground you can still see the cisterns which were dug out for the conservation of the oil. In this cave, next to the very old mill stones, you can see a collection of very old agricultural and domestic tools, together with various terracotta urns, woven hay baskets and wine. The perfect microclimate in this cave is ideal for the preservation (in the most natural way) of fruit, vegetables and crops. The different products of the farm are stored here such as the olive oil, the jams and fruit preserves and the many rosolios (liqueurs). |
 Products of Masseria Il Frantoio
Extravirgin Olive Oil
Our farm and its property extends to over seventy hectares and is located just a few kilometres from Ostuni. It is exposed to the winds from the Adriatic Sea and to the Eastern and North Westerly winds. In these areas there is hardly ever any fog, and no frost! The surrounding wooded hills protect the olive groves from the humid Scirocco winds.
The presence of iron on the land is revealed by the fertile red earth which rests on a hard calcareous stone which allows the water to filter through and leaves no stagnant waters: it is an ideal habitat for the olive trees! The monumental secular olive trees have been growing here for more than five hundred years. They are among the most veteran Italian olive trees and their fruit gives a blonde coloured sweet olive oil. We produce different types of extravirgin olive oil:
Organic extravirgin olive oil "Meridiano" - It is the most "Classic" oil of our production. The combination of organically produced olives and the modern systems of harvesting with mechanical shakers and the austere strength of the olive trees of this variety "Ogliarola salentina" give their best result in this blond coloured oil, full of aroma and sweet to the taste. Even just after pressing this quality of oil is neither bitter nor spicy. It has an excellent savour and is most appropriate with boiled vegetables and legumes.
Extravirgin DOP olive oil Collina di Brindisi "Trecolline" - The "Hill of Brindisi" (the name given to this DOP oil) protects our olive groves from the scirocco winds which bring humidity, while the winds blowing from the Adriatic are salubriously fresh and dry and ensure that the olive groves remain strong and healthy. The land is rich in iron and limestone elements, a mixture of red and white rock and there are no stagnant waters: these are the best conditions for the "ogliarola salentina", the sweetest variety of olive trees in the whole world. According to present regulations on olive oil production, this type of oil can be mixed with a maximum of 30% of oil from other cultivations as long as the latter are of course cultivated on the same territory; and so the secret is blending the oil from the old salentine olive trees with the fruit of the olive trees planted only ten years ago such as frantoio, pesciolina and others. And this blend gives an extravirgin olive oil with a well balanced fruity taste, a greenish colour and a savour which make the product an excellent accompaniment on salads and meat, and suitable for an extraordinarily light fry.
Monovariety extravirgin olive oil "Leccina" - Ten years ago we had to make a choice among all existing varieties of olive trees, and we opted for the Leccina: luckily the Leccina variety has turned out to be the most appropriate and adapt olive tree for the climatic conditions present in our area. It was evident to all panel tests that the most balanced quality of oil with a good flavour and a splendid taste, was from the beginning of its production the one obtained from this monocultivar species. It has a pleasant greenish colour, and the flavour is an explosion of aroma especially when it is combined with hot vegetable minestrone and legumes soups.
Extravirgin olive oil organically cultivated from the monovariety Ogliarola Salentina "Olio delle Pendici" - In October, when the olive groves are prepared for the imminent harvesting of the olives, all the olives are picked by hand from the boughs "the 'pendici'" which hang out on the roads above the rubble walls that mark the boundaries and where it would be impossible to spread the nets. This first oil which is pressed in October is normally exclusively for home use and never sold to third parties.
The tales of our old folks, often corroborated by agricultural experience, have throughout the years thought us to adopt a type of harvesting which is in harmony with secular traditions but at the same time makes use of modern technology applied to organic cultivation. This great passion rewards us with one of the best organically produced extravirgin olive oils that has a very low percentage of acidity, excellent organolectic qualities and a flavour which you must discover for yourself.
The Jams of Masseria Il Frantoio
To make our jams we choose the best fruit from the citrus tree garden, the "secret garden" of Frantoio. The care of these fruit trees is entrusted to the expert and worthy hands of Abele the gardener. Oranges, lemons, mandarines and citrons must be picked between October and March, at the right time of ripeness so that the fruit has not only the necessary quantity of sugar, the right aroma and taste but also a firm and light peel.
At this point we are ready to prepare the different jams and fruit preserves, each in its own time, just as different are the seasons in which each fruit ripens. Our jams are pleasant to look at and taste wonderful: a perfect balance of form and substance. These jams retain the full flavour of the fruit and their natural colour which we take care not to alter during the cooking process.
The Rosolios of the Frantoio
Rosolio di foglie d'olivo: I have heard tell that one day, in the shade of the olive trees surrounding the old family farmhouse, lady Bimbì was all taken up by the study of some yellowing pages. They had been hand-written by her great-great-grandmother and told of a special recipe: rosolio made with olive leaves. And it was in this way that milady Bimbì discovered the secret of this exquisite liqueur. The name Rosolio is derived, not as she had always thought, from the rose but from the latin "Ros Solis" and more precisely "the tears of the sun that pearl the leaves, the fruit and the berries early in the morning". And so today, in this very Masseria, from those same centenarian organically cultivated olive trees, we still take the basic ingredients required by this precious infusion, in those few secret days of the year which ensure a perfect result.
Rosolio di mirto: Since time immemorial the myrtle, a bush of mediterranean flora par excellence, has been used here in Puglia for its aromatic properties - the berries used to make rosolio and the leaves to preserve olives in salted water. This same plant is in the local dialect called "mortedda" and was known even by the ancient Greeks as a symbol of youth and love; even nowadays in Great Britain it is used in wedding flower bouquets.The myrtle bush can be found all over the South of Italy and has been praised in song by Horace and Goethe; besides, it is an excellent balm, a digestive and tonic substance.
Rosolio di foglie d'agrumi: The "Hortus conclusus" / closed orchard or "Arabic citrus garden" in our fortified farmhouses is usually protected from the northern cold winds by the main building of the farmhouse; it is the principal source of fresh, sweet smelling fruit. The perfume of the blossoms in spring is almost intoxicating during the mellow evenings and attracts the bees who come here to feed on the blossoms which produce some of the best honey full of vitamins: one of the many known virtues of the citrus fruits. The secret is to find a perfect balance between the sweet, strong, quenching and aromatic doses to be obtained from the single fruits - oranges, lemons, citrons and mandarins, to make this rosolio unique and inimitable. |
| Property Facilities Summary: |  Bar | Beach | | Beach Bed | Beach Umbrella | | Bicycle Rentals | Car Rental | | Child Friendly | Children's Playground | | Cooking Courses | Home Produce | | Internet Point | Laundry | | Mountain Bike Rentals | Parking | | TV | Trekking | | |
 The sea and the beaches
There are some sandy dunes that are to be found just south of Torre Canne, some kilometres away from the Farm "Il Frantoio". For those persons, romantically inclined, and those of you who love the sea and the bright but clear colours of winter, a walk through here is a must. This beach which is well equipped with all types of facilities, has also a big parking place and is a business partner of il Frantoio. This is a calm place even in peak season. The sea at Ostuni is considered one of the cleanest in all of Italy and the natural sand dunes teem with wild mediterranean flora and its characteristic scents. Here we are on the Channel of Otranto; the clear and excellent climate of this place render life outdoors pleasant both in spring and in autumn. For those who prefer a rocky beach, we suggest this location, just a short distance from the lighthouse of Torre Canne: Santos. It is an ideal place for those who love to relax in complete silence.
Ostuni
Ostuni is situated on three hills and enjoys an excellent panorama. At the foot of Ostuni the green silvery sea of olive groves merges with the blue of the Adriatic. It is an ancient, noble and famous town, known especially for its whitewashed houses that contrast with the pinkish brown stone of the monuments. If you walk through its narrow alleyways you will discover many an architectural feature at times hidden under the innumerable layers of white chalk. |
 The neighbourhood around Masseria il Frantoio
This corner of the world is rich in its simple and profound charm. Distances are short, the landscape very varied and everything is within reach. Olive groves and vineyards with their many rubble walls and the whitewashed houses delineate this serene and sun kissed countryside. It's the enchanting effect of the Murgia, the Trulli and of the Caves.
Remember to consider their dimensions: the white houses of Ostuni, the Trulli, the rococo buildings of Martina Franca. Their charm can be compared to that of toys and miniatures and they will not fail to fascinate even you. Cisternino, Fasano, Locorotondo, Martina Franca, Alberobello, Castellana Grotte are the most significant towns of the area. These neighbouring towns, regardless of their vicinity, are all very different from one another. There are numerous things to see as you'll discover from the guidebooks.
And if you should take a stroll through the countryside, perhaps in winter, you will discover how the landscape here is always a carpet of multicoloured flowers. Wandering through the olive groves, neatly kept like gardens, or if you visit the many farmhouses, the poor ones where the common people work, the rich ones which are noble residences, this is perhaps the best way to find out what simplicity, the beauty of small things really mean. It is not a coincidence that these areas have for many years been haunted by many for long holidays, spots where one can finally escape from the city in search of good living, tasty food and true hospitality of the local folk. |
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